Game apparatus.



G. LE P. BUYS. GAMB APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. Z4, 1913.

Patented June 23, 1914. Y

NSN@

Mss

GEORGE LE FORT BUYS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.-

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 23, 1914.-

Applcaton led September 24, 1913. Serial No. 791,462.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Grenen LE FORT BUYS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in game apparatus, and has for its object the production of a simple and inexpensive device with which a game may be played, the playing of which involves considerable skill and judgment on the part ofthe players and thereby adding to its fascination.

To these ends my invention Consists in the novel features and parts and combinations of the same hereinafter more particularly described and then specified in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a p'lan view of a game board constructed in accordance with the preferred form of carrying out my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of what, for convenience, I term the impeller at one end ofthe device and also of the parts adjacent thereto. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of the impeller and parts adjacent thereto taken on the line 5-5 Fig. 4.

Similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.

The game board embodying my invention is preferably of rectangular shape and constructed of paste-board, wood yor any other desirable material, and has a flat top 1 with runways 2 formed therein, these runways extending substantially the entire length of the game board as illustrated. At an end of each of the runways I provide Avertical plates 3 with flanges 4 secured to the base 5 of t-he game board by means of the nuts and bolts 6`or by any other means. Rods or wires 7 extend beneath the surface of the board and in substantially the same vertical plane as the center of the runways 2, the ends of the rods being threaded and passing through the vertical plates 3 to which they are secured by means of the nuts 8. Obviously any other means for fastening the rods 7 to the vertical plates may be employed, or the vertical plates may be dispensed with entirely, in which case the rods would be fastened directly to the ends of the game board or otherwise secured.

20 represents cars or riders which are preferably made of wood or some other light material and which are adapted to travel through the runways along the rods 7. These riders are mounted on the U-shaped pieces 9 which are soldered to or integrally united with tubes 10 through which the rods 7 extend. The bases 11 are securely fastened to the tubes 10 and are made of some heavy metal, as for vinstance lead. These heavy bases act as ballasts for the riders, tending to keep them in a vertical position. These bases also are preferably of rectangular shape with flat smooth ends which are adapted to receive initial velocity from the striker arm of the impellers, thereby causing the riders to travel along the rods or wires 7, as will be presently described.

The function of the impellers, of which there are preferably two, one for each runway and rider, is for imparting initial velocity to the riders. I shall describe the mechanism of but one impeller however, it being understood that the construction and operation of each is the same. The impeller consists of the rod 12 which passes loosely through the guide-slot 13 in the end of the game board, the opening 14 in the vertical plate 3, the arms 15 and 1G of the frame 17 and the vertical arm 1S of the stop 19. The stop 19 may be fastened to the base of the game board by a nut and bolt, as illustrated, or by any other means. The rod 12 terminates at one end in the handle 18 and it is slightly upturned at its other end to prevent its being withdrawn from the stop 19. 21 indicates a spring compressed between the arm 16 of the frame 17 and a pin 22 which passes through the rod 12. A horizontal striker arm 23 vhaving a flat face parallel to an end of the base 11 of the rider 20 is soldered to or forms an integral part of the arm 15 of the frame 17. The base of the frame 17 is also providedV with a slot 24 adapted to receive the latch 25 which is embedded or secured in the base of the game board in any suitable manner. The impeller is manipulated by means of the handle 30, the frame 17 being capable of both a horizontal and vertical motion, the horizontal motion being limited by the vertical plate 3 and the stop 19 respectively and the vertical motion being limited by the movement of the rod 12 in the guide-slot 18.

The operation of the device is as follows z-The rod 12 is first drawn back as far as possible, so that the latch 25 is received by the slot 24. The rider 2O is then brought to the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 8, so that an end of its base 11 abuts the striker arm 23. The rod 12 is then pushed forward so that the spring 21 is compressed, and at the same time pressed downward, the frame 17 retaining the same position as long as a downward or a straight pressure is exerted on the rod 12, due to the fact that the frame is held or engaged by the latch 25. To impart initial velocity to the rider, the rod 12- is slightly raised while the spring is under compression. The` frame 17 thereupon becomes disengaged from the latch 25 and the frame is impelled sharply forward until it strikes the stop 18, the striker arm 23 projecting the rider 20 forward along the wire Vor rod 7. Obviously the distance the rider travels is proportional to the degree of conipression given the spring 21 at the moment the frame 17 is impelled forward, the skill of the operator or player manifesting itself in his ability to cause the rider to stop at given points along the runway 2.

I prefer to construct my game board with two runways, riders and impellers, so that the game may be played by two people simultaneously, each of the players located at either end of the board and operating his own impeller. The face of the board preferably represents pictorially the cross streets of a city, each street being indicated along the edge of the runways by a inai'k, and each street being given a certain numerical value. Each of the rival players has a certain number of chances for sending the car or `rider along the runway, adding to his score the numerical value given to the street nearest which the rear platform of the car stops, provided it does not overlap such mark. It is also provided that if a car stops directly across a street, so that the indicator mark at the side of the runway is in a direct line with the center of the car, then the numerical value of that street shall be deducted from the players scoi'e.

The game apparatus is very simple and durable in construction and affords considerable amusement to the players as well as requiring the exercise of skill for successfully playing the game.

I do not limit myself to the exact construction and operation of the apparatus as described and claimed and it is obvious that various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A game apparatus consisting of a game board provided with runways, wires extend- 2. A game apparatus comprising Va game board provided with'runways, wires extending horizontally the length of said runways beneath the surface of the game board andin substantially the same vertical plane as the center of said runways, means for securely fastening said wires atthe ends of said runways, riders adapted to travel along said wires, said riders being provided with tubes through which said wires extend, and spring-actuated impellers each provided-with` i a striker arm adapted to strike the bases of said riders, thereby causing them to travel along said wires.

3. `A game apparatus consisting of a game board provided with runways formed in the upper surface thereof, wires extending horizontally the length of said runways, means for fastening said wires at the ends of said runways, riders adapted to travel through said runways and along said wires, said riders being provided with tubes through which said wires extend and with bases of sufhcientweight for maintaining said riders in a vertical position, and spring-actuated impellersl adapted to impart initial velocity to said riders to cause. them to travel along said wires.

4. A game -apparatus consisting of a game board provided with runways, wires extending liorizont-ally the length of said runways and fastened at the vends thereof, riders adapted 'to travel along said wires, and impellers for transmitting initial velocity to said riders, each consisting of a rod, a :frame and spring through which said rod extends and a striker arm fastened to an arm of said frame.

5. A game apparatus consisting of a game board provided with runways, wires extending horizontally the length of said runways and fastened at the ends thereof, riders adapted to travel through said runways and along said wires, and impellers each comprising a rod, a frame, Va stop and a spring, said rod extending through said frame, stop and spring, and a striker arm attached to said frame and adapted tofimpel said riders forward along said wires.

6. A game apparatus consisting of a game board provided with runways, wires extending horizontally the length of said runways and fasten ed at the ends thereof, ridersV adapted to travel along said wires, impellers each comprising a rod, a frame, a stop and a spring, said frame being provided with arms and with a slot in its base, and said rod extending horizontally through said spring, arms of said frame and said stop, a latch fastened at the ends thereof, cars adapted to travel along said wires and through said runways, and impelling means for impart- 15 ing initial velocity to said cars.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 23rd day of September A. D. 1913.

GEORGE LE FORT BUYS.

Witnesses:

F. B. TowNsEND, IRENE LEFKOWITZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

